Dinosaurs and bugs may have millions of years separating them, but they’re sharing the spotlight this summer at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University.<\/p>\n
Throughout\u00a0 July and August, the museum’s Dino-Mite Summer<\/a> will transform the Academy into a hub of interactive exhibits, hands-on activities and special events, and later this season, Bug Fest will also be in full swing.<\/p>\n The season’s biggest prehistoric celebration arrives during Dinosaur Days (July 25\u201326 and Aug. 22\u201323). On these dates, guests can watch experts prepare real fossils, examine authentic specimens up close, create dinosaur-inspired crafts and lend a hand by dusting the Academy’s towering dinosaur mounts and casts. Visitors will also have the chance to hear from Academy scientists, who will share stories of paleontological research, discovery and more.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Academy really comes alive in the summer, with extra activities for kids who are out of school and special events for all ages of dinosaur lovers, bug enthusiasts and anyone else with a passion for science and nature,\u201d says Mariah Romaninsky, Executive Director of Engagement and Visitor Experience at the Academy.<\/p>\n The fun continues in August with the return of Bug Fest<\/a> on Aug. 8 and 9, an Academy tradition now celebrating its 19th year. The annual festival transforms both the museum and the surrounding grounds into an immersive celebration of the insect world, giving guests the opportunity to meet entomologists, artists and educators while getting an up-close look at some of the Academy’s insect collections. Popular favorites, including guided bug walks through Logan Square, energetic roach races and interactive education stations, are returning in 2026, alongside opportunities to learn how scientists identify and pin insect specimens.<\/p>\n Bug Fest also spills outdoors, where visitors can browse a marketplace featuring local artists and artisans. Families can also contribute to a collaborative paint-by-number mural by artist Manuela Guill\u00e9n and explore the Academy’s native garden along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway as part of the ongoing ‘Botany of Nations’ exhibition.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Academy is a special place that has been working for more than two centuries to connect people to nature and to the animals, ecologies and especially insects that impact our everyday lives,\u201d adds Liam O’Donnell, Public Programs Educator for the Academy. \u201cBug Fest makes sure that everyone from schoolchildren to longtime naturalists have a chance to experience the world through the eyes of our insect friends.\u201d<\/p>\n The Academy is also extending its schedule with $10 Thursdays, plus a pay-what-you-wish admission day on Aug. 1 in celebration of the Academy’s distinction as the nation’s first natural history museum and scientific society, during Philadelphia Historic District’s 52 Weeks of Firsts<\/a>.<\/p>\n To find out more information on the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University (1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy), visit ansp.org<\/a><\/p>\n